About the job

Job summary

The Department for Transport (DfT) is looking for a dedicated Head of IT Service Management who will be responsible for setting the vision and strategy for the service management processes Incident, Problem, Request, Asset and Configuration Management.

These process areas will collaborate closely with Cyber Security operations, End User device provision and support and Cloud Engineering as well as the necessary Knowledge Management to support these disciplines.  You will lead this composite team, ensuring adequate resources and capability, represent the IT service management function at a senior level, and act as an escalation point for business stakeholders.

Job description

As the Head of IT Service Management Capabilities, you will:

• Advise and influence senior leadership on the most effective methods for governing and maintaining the Department’s technology operations.
• Develop and implement Capability specific strategies to protect the Department in an evolving agile delivery environment.
• Leading multiple teams of IT Service Management professionals in governing products, services and systems across the Department; undertaking activities as required to develop and enhance the skills of their team, growing internal capabilities.
• Development of policy and guidance to support all team activities, ensuring they are always conducted in a lawful and risk-managed fashion. Communication of team findings to stakeholders in a clear and actionable fashion, focusing on real-world impact and with pragmatic options for resolution.
• Managing the prioritisation, allocation and quality of external supplier capability effort to support product and project teams, within the scope of the relevant IT Service Management capabilities, including budget management.
• Development and implementation of tools and techniques to automate as much of the team’s ‘basic’ work as possible, providing continuous assurance that systems are delivering to business requirement.
• Leading on knowledge transfer to other operational and non-operational teams to help build an understanding of real-world IT service governance and embedding a culture of customer service in the department.
• Effective use of delegated budgets (approx. £19m/year) to deliver the agreed strategy for IT SIAM governance and related topics, using suppliers and contractors effectively to augment and enhance the team’s capabilities. Supervise, measure and hold accountable, third-party suppliers who are providing services and help to integrate and improve the combined operational governance as a result.
• Membership of the Digital Strategy & Operations leadership team and Security, Privacy and Live Service leadership community, setting the direction for the area as a whole and representing the entire area at corporate events, deputising for the Deputy Director, Digital Strategy & Operations as required.

In return, we can offer you: 

• access to new and emerging technologies,
• varied projects developed in a cloud-first environment,
• support and investment to further your training and development,
• flexible and hybrid working supporting a healthy work-life balance,
• industry-leading pension and employee benefits package.

Person specification

As the Head of Service Management Capabilities, you will be responsible for setting the vision and strategy for service management, ensuring processes are owned and maturing.  Essential to your success will be the ability to build and maintain effective relationships with a variety of suppliers, both internal and external, and business stakeholders.

The following experiences gained from within an IT operations setting are also essential for success in this role:

• Asset and configuration management – specifically implementation of a CMDB and asset management process in an industry standard ITSM tool
• Service management framework knowledge – ITIL v 4 at a minimum, ISO20K preferred
• Stakeholder and supplier relationship management
• User needs insight and expertise

DfT: Digital Service

Find out more about what it's like working at DfT:Digital Service

Additional Information 

This role can be based in Birmingham, Hastings, Leeds or Swansea and your presence at one of these locations will form part of the working arrangements agreed with you. We operate a hybrid working model giving you greater flexibility about where and when you work.

We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.  

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits. We offer generous annual leave, attractive pension options, flexible working, inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance. 

Find out more about what it's like working at the Department for Transport

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

How to apply

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement.

Please see the following details on how to apply.

To apply please click on 'Apply at advertiser's site' where you will be required to submit a CV (unlimited word count) and a Personal Statement (1000 words max.) to Michael Page (our recruitment partners).

Within your CV and Personal Statement please provide detailed evidence of your experience of the following: 

• Asset and configuration management – specifically implementation of a CMDB and asset management process in an industry standard ITSM tool
• Service management framework knowledge – ITIL v 4 at a minimum, ISO20K preferred
• Stakeholder and supplier relationship management
• User needs insight and expertise

Michael Page will provide DfT with a list of applications and DfT will complete an internal sift.

Sifting will likely take place from 19th April 2024.

Interviews will likely take place from week commencing 29th April and will be in two parts.

The first interview will assess the following skills as outlined in Head of IT Service Management - Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework: Asset and configuration management (Skill level: Expert), Business analysis (IT operations), Ownership and initiative, Service management framework knowledge, Stakeholder relationship management (IT operations), Strategic thinking, and User focus.

If you are successful in the first interview, you will be invited to a second interview where you will be assessed against Strengths and the following Behaviours: Managing a Quality Service and Delivering at Pace. The second interview will also include a presentation exercise.

The second interviews will likely take place from week commencing 6th May.

Both interviews will be conducted online via MS Teams. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within.

The Department for Transport alongside other Government Departments recruit using Success Profiles. This means for each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate in order to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

For further information on Success Profiles visit our Careers website.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via ruteshshah@pageexecutive.com as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.